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Future Space Missions and Human Enhancement: Medical and Ethical Challenges

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Future Space Missions and Human Enhancement: Medical and Ethical Challenges Futures 133 (2021) 102819 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Futures journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/futures Future space missions and human enhancement: Medical and ethical challenges Konrad Szocik a,n,*, Mark Shelhamer b, Martin Braddock c, Francis A. Cucinotta d, e f g ´ h i Chris Impey , Pete Worden , Ted Peters , Milan M. Cirkovi´c , Kelly C. Smith , Koji Tachibana j, Michael J. Reiss k, Ziba Norman k, Arvin M. Gouw l, Gonzalo Mun´evar m a Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States b Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States c Sherwood Observatory, Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom d University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV, United States e University of Arizona, United States f Breakthrough Prize Foundation, Washington, United States g Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, United States h Astronomical Observatory Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia i Clemson University, Clemson, United States j Chiba University, Chiba, Japan k University College London Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom l University of Edinburgh, School of Divinity, United Kingdom m Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, United States n Department of Social Sciences, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Rzeszow,´ Poland ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Future human space missions to Mars and beyond may be realized for different research, eco­ Space missions nomic, political or survival reasons. Since space remains a hazardous environment for humans, Space settlement space exploration and exploitation requires the development and deployment of effective coun­ Human enhancement termeasures. In this paper, we discuss prospects for human enhancement by gene editing, syn­ Gene editing thetic biology, or implants, for the purposes of future space missions. We argue that there are CRISPR Synthetic biology good reasons to consider such options, and that ethical arguments can be made in favor of human Bioethics enhancement to enable long-term space exploration. * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (K. Szocik), [email protected] (M. Shelhamer), [email protected] (M. Braddock), [email protected] (F.A. Cucinotta), [email protected] (C. Impey), [email protected] (P. Worden), ´ [email protected] (T. Peters), [email protected] (M.M. Cirkovi´c), [email protected] (K.C. Smith), [email protected] (K. Tachibana), [email protected] (M.J. Reiss), [email protected] (Z. Norman), [email protected] (A.M. Gouw), [email protected] (G. Mun´evar). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102819 Received 10 March 2021; Received in revised form 15 July 2021; Accepted 28 July 2021 Available online 31 July 2021 0016-3287/© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). K. Szocik et al. Futures 133 (2021) 102819 1. Introduction 1.1. Advantages of human enhancements in space There is a high likelihood that human space missions to the Moon, Mars and possibly beyond will become a reality within the next century. Humans have good reasons to go to space, which include economic incentives, research programs, and opportunities for building and establishing permanent space settlements. While some critics may argue against the concept of human space missions in general and the idea of a space refuge in particular, many authors agree that in the long term colonizing new environments in space either within or beyond our solar system may support the long-term future of humanity (Mason, 2021). In this paper, we discuss the application of human enhancement and its potential role for enabling a future human presence in space. The idea of human enhancement to better permit living and working in space is simple: because the space environment is hazardous and humans are not adapted by evolution to live there, it makes sense to artificiallyincrease human adaption to space by biomedical means. However, the precise nature of enhancement, which may be more or less invasive, reversible or irreversible, and heritable or non-heritable, requires very careful thought and might well be driven by scientific and ethical considerations on Earth. Genetic engineering, particularly germ-line gene editing, is one of the most controversial forms of bioenhancement, at least on Earth. However, there are good reasons to assume that in the context of space, there is a stronger rationale for human enhancement than in the terrestrial context, in which case the ethical analysis should also differ. Our paper has several important ramifications for space science and technology on the one hand, and bioethics and futures studies on the other. Most analyses of living off-Earth focus on the required technologies or practical considerations; social and cultural implications have received less consideration. The emergent field of “space ethics” (or “astrobioethics” or “astroethics” or “environmental ethics in space”; cf. Chon-Torres, 2018; Owe, 2019; Wanjet, 2020; Peters, 2002, 2013, 2019a, 2021) is developing rapidly, following the progress made in the last two decades in astrobiology and space science, and also in molecular biology and biotechnology. In our paper we do not consider arguments for or against various types of space missions, including the concept of space refuge, nor do we analyse the superiority of humans over robots in space, or vice versa. We focus on the medical and biological risks that humans may encounter in space, current and future protective measures, and related ethical and bioethical issues. Some of the proposals and concepts considered can be seen in terms of a thought experiment today, and a plausible development for the future of our species in space. 1.2. Should we use human enhancements for Mars settlements? Humankind has always sought to extend itself. For much of our history, such developments came about through migration, trade, and improved methods of communication. Over the course of time, such enhancements have increasingly relied on technology – such as boats to carry us across the sea and the development of writing to make communication records more permanent. Usually, that kind of enhancement is not considered to have ethical implications, but in the past century, enhancements have increasingly become possible through the intersection of medicine and technology (e.g., many of us increasingly rely on spectacles, hearing aids, pace- makers, dialysis, and insulin injections). But even these technological enhancements were not necessarily ethically controversial until humanity had the capacity to change our own genetic material. Thus far, genetic manipulation has been used solely for therapeutic reasons (e.g., the treatment of certain immune disorders, a type of heart disease and a type of blindness), but gene therapy paves the way for a whole new level of genetic modification which may include enhancement. To date, much of the literature on genetic enhancement focuses on non-therapeutic applications for attractiveness, intelligence, sporting prowess and the like (Agar, 2014; Savulescu, ter Meulen, & Kahane, 2011; Savulescu & Bostrom, 2011). The public has been ambivalent about the use of genetic engineering in general, although support is slowly increasing (CGS Staff, 2018). Advocates of the technology were not helped by the fact that its initial uses seemed to suggest few immediate benefitsof real importance for humans (Reiss and Straughan, 1996) – for example, one early proposal was to enable Christmas trees to glow. A relevant distinction can be made between somatic and germ-line genetic engineering. Somatic cells make up most of our body (muscles, skin, nerves, bone, etc.) and are responsible for everything except producing our gamete, while germ-line cells are directly responsible for producing our eggs and sperm. At present, most countries with the available technology do not allow germ-line gene editing, though somatic gene editing is becoming increasingly widespread, whether for research or therapeutic purposes (Mason, 2021). If genetic engineering is to be used for Mars astronauts, it may be that germ-line genetic engineering will be needed. Any long-term colony will need to exist for multiple generations, which means any single generation’s genetic manipulation would have to be repeated on site. This is a theoretical assumption, but one that needs to be made for any concept of a self-sustaining extraterrestrial colony that must be able to reproduce under conditions of altered gravity and increased exposure to cosmic radiation. It is not possible at this time to be certain which human genes we might want to alter but we already know enough to have pinpointed genes for such valuable features as radiation resistance, extra-strong bones, toleration of lower oxygen levels, enhanced memory and reduced inci- dence of a range of diseases and medical conditions including atherosclerosis and various cancers (Church, 2019; Pontin, 2018). It may be argued that a new generation of ‘Martians’ receive preventive medicine rather than enhancement, since the purpose is to enable survival in this harsh environment. If this argument is accepted, it weakens ethical objections to the use of genetic engineering to facilitate human missions to Mars. However, such a strong justification– arguably the strongest possible justification,since the survival of our species
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